Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion. Sauté 4 minutes until translucent.
- Add minced garlic. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add shredded beef. Stir to combine with onion and garlic. Sprinkle with Spanglish Asadero Birria Seasoning and cook 2 minutes to toast seasoning.
- Stir in diced tomatoes (with juices), kidney beans, and pinto beans.
- Pour in beef broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Ladle chili into bowls.
- Top each serving with diced white onion, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.
- Serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
- Toast the seasoning — Cook the Spanglish Asadero Birria Seasoning in the pan with the beef for two minutes before adding any liquid. That heat activates the fat-soluble compounds in the dried chilis and spices — flavor distributes through the whole pot instead of pooling in the broth.
- Give it the full simmer time — 20–25 minutes is the window where the tomato, beans, and seasoning meld. Cut it short and the chili tastes divided. Give it the full time and it comes together into something cohesive.
- Taste near the end, not the beginning — Broth reduces as the chili simmers, concentrating the salt and seasoning. Adjust at the 20-minute mark, not when the liquid first goes in. You're seasoning the finished flavor, not the raw base.
- Don't skip the garnishes — Diced white onion, sliced radishes, cilantro, and fresh lime are structural. The acid and brightness from the lime cut through the richness of the seasoning and beef. Serve them on the side if you prefer, but put them in every bowl.
- Fat content matters in the beef — Brisket, chuck roast, and short rib carry the birria seasoning better than lean cuts. They shred well and have the fat content the chili needs to feel rich. Round or sirloin will work but tend to dry out and fall flat.
- Ladle over white rice and let the broth soak in — that's the most straightforward plate. Warm corn tortillas on the side work just as well and let you scoop between bites.
- If you want to stretch it, a side of Mexican rice or elote complements the earthiness of the chili without competing with it. Pickled jalapeños or hot sauce on the table give people control over heat without cooking it in.
- For a bigger spread, use the chili as a base for birria-style tacos: pile the shredded beef into corn tortillas, top with white onion and cilantro, and serve the remaining broth as a dipping consommé on the side.
- Cool completely before storing. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days — the flavor continues to develop overnight as the seasoning settles into the broth.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of beef broth or water to loosen it up. Stir occasionally. The chili thickens as it sits; don't try to reheat it dry.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Add all garnishes fresh after reheating.